1"You look amazing!" Hunter MacIntyre's compliment sent his wife, Claire's blood coursing in her veins like an awakened river."Thanks," She lowered her head while trying to hide her smile. Today was their second wedding anniversary. Claire was a lucky girl to marry the man she loved. She felt her nerves twisting in yummy delight. Her husband was a substitute to slow torture with that look of his. With that tailored suit clinging to his body, he forced eyes to take a look at him. Her gaze traveled to his brown, strong throat, then towards the deliciously straight mouth and up to his black eyes; dark and hooded and so full of secrets. They watched her intently causing her breathing to catch.Hunter hugged her from the back and snuggled her bare shoulder. He enveloped her right in his hold, enjoying the feeling of her being in his arms. "I can't wait to tell the world that I am falling for my own wife." Today was their anniversary. And the day couldn't get any better. Claire woke
2Claire felt exposed to danger. Like a baby bird left in the open. She dragged shallow breaths as she watched her husband hug his ex-girlfriend possessively. He whispered something in Zara's ear, making her eyes water. He wiped them with his hand. By this time, all the cameramen focused on them. Gasps erupted around Claire as Hunter's admirers began to gossip about it. "Oh goodness! Isn't that Zara Levine, Hunter's ex-girlfriend?" "Christ, she looks more beautiful than before!" "Look at Hunter's expression. He's all desperate around her. Damn, he's kissing her!" "They look so good together. But I pity Claire. She must have waited for today wholeheartedly and it had to be ruined like this. Her husband is kissing his ex-girlfriend in front of her. That's insane!" "But why is Zara back? She was married to another man, wasn't she? What's this now?" All the remarks around her made her body heavy. Claire was rooted in her spot. "Claire, let's go inside." Her brother tried to pull he
3 When Claire shook the hazy veil of darkness and came to the surface, the first face she saw was of her mother. Andrea's eyes were red and cheeks flushed. She was in the same dress she donned for Claire and Hunter's wedding anniversary. It was visible just by looking at her that she didn't leave her daughter's side even for one second. "Laire, baby," Andrea impatiently leaned towards her daughter and cupped her face. A tear of relief trickled from her left eye. She kissed her forehead and immediately looked over her shoulder to shout, "Claire is awake, Dominic!" She turned to her daughter again. She removed hair from her eyes and smiled, "How are you feeling now, honey?" She touched her swollen lip gently. Claire just stared back. Her mother's tears made her remember her own. Then it returned to her mind like a slow memory returning to a person suffering with amnesia. Pain, hot and raw, settled in her chest. Claire recalled how her husband left her outside the hotel they
4 "Ever since I gained maturity I have loved you. I kept myself pure so you would be the one taking me. I dressed myself as per your liking so you would look at me. I even turned down offers of marriage from compatible men because I was enchanted by you. After all the sacrifices I made for you, this is what you give me?" She grasped his collars, shaking him. Her streaming eyes made his face seem blurry. "For two years I endured your ill-treatment and invested my time to make you happy. I would make food each day even though you left it to turn cold. I didn't complain when you came home late and retired to bed without even taking a glance at me even if I was wide awake and talking to you." "You forgot my birthdays, let alone wish me. You ignored my parents on family dinners. But I was still happy because you were with me all this while. I took your cold treatment with a smile. Despite all this, all that I wished for was to see you smile. You want to know why?" Hunter's eyes remaine
5 Her heart was crushed into a pulp under the weight of those words. Wiping her tears, Claire lifted her face. She held her head high as she gave him a tight smile with a challenging gaze. "Then let me tell you, Mr. Hunter MacIntyre, I will also fight for what is mine. You are mine. I'm not letting any widowed whore have my husband." Hunter opened his mouth. But before he snapped at her, she whirled around and went up the stairs to their bedroom. A drumbeat of madness pounded at the back of Hunter's eyes. He fisted his hands while following after her. Hunter caught Claire right outside the bedroom. He pinned her to the wall and leaned in, whispering right before her lips. "Since when I became yours, huh? As far as I can remember you have always been at my mercy." Hunter hoped to intimidate her. But he should have known that by leaving her outside their anniversary party's venue he made her bones persistent and determination of stone. He killed her emotions. "You became min
6Cole's mouth fell agape in sheer astonishment. This definitely has to be a doppelganger of Claire.Otherwise his best friend's wife was timid and mute. She barely opened her mouth to speak. And even if she was slandered, she found it was better to meet them with silence than to retort."What? Is something on my face?" Claire asked with a grin.Cole nodded his head as he confessed, "You have become fierce. I like this side of you.""Thanks. I had to become outspoken for the sake of my marriage. I have to save Hunter and my relation, Cole. And I will need your help with it.""I am always here for you two, Claire. Just let me know how I can help." He liked her spirit."Okay, listen to me," She held his gaze. "I want to gather information on Zara. Cole, I feel that her return is deliberate and that her husband's death is not natural."Cole's back stiffened. His eyebrows knitted together as he suppressed himself from looking disappointed. "I get your point about saving your marriage, Cl
7The cameras flashed just as Claire crossed the gate and came to this side to meet the waiting crowd of journalists. "Mrs. MacIntyre or Miss Argent? Which one do you prefer?" Irritated by the question, Claire forced her lips to curve. Her grin carried a hint of mockery as she faced the cameras before holding the gaze of the journalist who asked her the question."What should I call you- a journalist or a woman with impaired eyesight? Or rather... a brainless journalist with impaired eyesight? Which one do you prefer?"Her Savage reply made the woman chuckle sheepishly in embarrassment. The others stared at Claire with an impressed glance as she never spoke like this before.It seemed that the kitten had transformed her claws finally."Do you see this sparkling big diamond? This shows that I am married. Hence I will prefer Mrs. MacIntyre now and for the rest of my life." Someone from the mass of journalists clapped in amusement. The lady mouthed a small apology while another person
8Dusk hung over Bloomcrest while the winds rolled over calmly. In her Villa, Claire worked tirelessly in the kitchen. She was preparing food for Hunter. There was a cheerful smile on her face as though she was very happy in her marriage.Thea was helping in the kitchen. She took the dishes to the dining table as they were filled with a new dish by Claire. As she returned after her fourth round, she nervously pinched her fingers and spoke in a hushed tone. "Madam, I don't think Mr. MacIntyre will return home today. S-so I'm afraid all this food you're making is going to go wasted." "I left a message to Hunter in the evening to come home soon for dinner. He might have seen it and will be here anytime now." Claire said confidently. Beside her Thea made a pitiful face as she thought, 'You're dreaming with open eyes, madam. Your husband is gone. He's not yours any more. Why can't you see it?' "Can you pass me the ketchup please?" Claire asked. Thea remained quiet and helped the lady
250The time in the plane was quiet and pressing down on Claire. She felt like an idiot. She went with Hunter like he had a right to take her out of the old Murphy Mansion. The feeling in itself was aggravating. She kept wondering why she gave Hunter the right to order her around! They weren't married. He had no right to take her back to Bloomcrest in his private jet! Traveling with him made her feel like she was still his wife when she was not.Claire avoided his attempts to talk to her. She refused to look at him when they took off. Hunter didn't give up, though. He persistently whispered apologies, assurances, promises in her ear. He even tried to hold her hand which she slapped away.When they were in the air and free to unfasten the seat belt, Claire couldn't be any more grateful. She quickly peeled out of the seat from next to Hunter and dashed to the loo.Her face was hot and red. The glistening tears she noticed in her eyes in the reflection mocked her."What am I doing? The
249"You pathetic orthodox woman! Your mouth is a trash bin. You spew rubbish every time you open your filthy mouth. Cole is not a toddler and he sure as hell is doing better in his life compared to you.""You.... How dare you talk to me like that?" Tia clutched Penny's front of the shirt."I dare to talk to you like that because you dared to insult my boyfriend. He's the best man to walk on earth— unlike you, an abhorrent old hag who knows nothing better than to interfere in his grown up son's life." Penny howled before thrusting Tia's hand away.It took everything in her not to push her back, after all she was still her mother's age. But that didn't stop her from verbally lashing her."Mothers like you are the reason why children want to try the most extreme things in life like drugs and unprotected séx. They feel burdened under your control
248Tyler snickered hatefully. He was nauseated at his mother's mentality. Logic seemed to have deserted her long back.“See me dare, mom.” He challenged her with a raised eyebrow.“Come back here, Tyler. This conversation is not over. You can't bring just any woman to our family. I won't approve of it. I won't let you make any random, undeserving woman my daughter-in-law. You won't….”Her words faded out as Tyler left her in his bedroom and came out. He felt tired, his back sticky with sweat. He needed fresh air.He was hoping to go out in the garden— but in the main hall he found another shock of his life in the form of Penny and Cole.'What the hell are they doing here now?' Tyler hissed.They were sitting on the couch with Grandma Avery. Cole was usually smiling
247Tyler felt oddly satisfied, seeing the car occupying Hunter and Claire disappear into the darkness. A faint smile flickered on his lips. He stood by the window with folded hands, eyes staring at where the car was mounting a few seconds ago as he praised Hunter's good luck.He finally managed to take Claire back with him. It wouldn't be long before he was able to bring her back home as his wife. He had that fire in his chest that would be enough to melt the ice caging Claire's heart that already belonged to him. 'If you keep working so dedicatedly, MacIntyre, you will have her in your life before the end of this year.' He smiled again. The next second, nevertheless, his face hardened as his eyes glimmered darkly. Tyler turned around and his jaw clenched. His eyes narrowed and he shook his head in disapproval."What you did out there wasn't commendable, mom? You could have seriously harmed her."Tia, who had been carelessly filing her nails sitting on the couch in the corner of th
246For Claire, it was a harrowing fifteen minutes of her life. Even the doctor seemed troubled at Hunter's show of coldness."There, it's done. I'll write you down painkillers and healing cream you would require once—""No need, thank you very much."The doctor's jaw hung in daze, "Very well. However, you would still need to take some precautions like protecting your stitches from water and stuff like that for the first few days. Because, Mr. MacIntyre, you're known for your stubbornness…. I'll send you the link to an article I wrote on my blog. Do read it."After he left, Hunter flattened his back on the mattress, his legs still on the ground. He was gazing at his dressed hand when Claire threw a hair brush at him that hit him on the mouth, but not hard enough to split open his skin."What's making you crazy now?" Hunter raised an eyebrow, feigning oblivion."What were you trying to show by doing that?""Nothing." He lifted a shoulder. "But look, my wedding ring is still shining thr
245Hunter rubbed his bleeding palm on her face, cupping her cheek and then going down to kiss her.Claire's breaths hitched as her heart drummed in her chest. The warm blood on her cheek washed over her like acid. Her eyes tore up, enlarging in shock and distress.She didn't get to react to the kiss as it was short and Hunter pulled away quickly. Claire gulped in a deep breath and hated the acrid smell of blood that exploded in her nostrils. "This is just a demo, Dove. I swear I'll cut myself open if you don't come with me!" He whispered like a devil. "Y-you won't do that." Claire stammered and for some reason Hunter was amused by her reaction."Wait! Are you scared?" He sat up, still straddling her while she laid still under him.She looked away. Hunter smiled as he regarded his bleeding hand."Wait, is it my blood? You don't like to see me bleed, do you?"When there was no answer, Hunter did the most unexpected and sadistic thing— He tore her red dress and pressed his bleeding pa
244Claire shuddered helplessly as she awaited the pain of stabbing. She was never stabbed before, but she was well cognizant of the pain of cutting herself in the kitchen.When she was still Hunter's wife and resorted to impressing him with her cooking skills, she had small accidents in the kitchen every second day. Even if the cut was small and the bleeding wasn't worrisome, the pain it brought would be dizzying. However, she was growing impatient, standing prepared to feel the pain anywhere on her body, yet it never came. When she cracked an eye open to see why Tia Murphy hadn't yet stabbed her, tears gushed out and relief she wasn't supposed to feel in this circumstance hit her in waves. Loud gasp left her mouth as she lifted her face, stunned, shivering in shock and love blooming for Hunter in her chest, her eyes glistening with tears, fingers twitching while her heart somersaulted. How would she feel the pain from the stab when he was holding the knife in his tight grip! Cla
243"I want to see that bitch now!" Those words swept over Claire like hot water, scalding her skin with goosebumps. It was followed by a monstrous growl, one that seemed to make every object in the hall shake in its intensity. Then words, like the striking of dangerously sharpened katana, were delivered by none other than a fuming Hunter. "Avery, either you put a leash on her corrupted mouth or I strangle her throat unless she's dead!" Hunter threateningly stepped towards the person in question who scoffed uncaringly."First you put a leash on your fúcking mouth, MacIntyre. You're talking to my mom. Be respectful... Or else," Tyler came to view. Claire watched him put a hand on Hunter's chest and thrust him back. Hunter didn't budge though. He stood on his spot, his back to Claire. But it wasn't difficult to envision his facial expression. Claire knew how he looked when he was super mad. She could see his jaw ticking as he tried to keep his fury in control. His dark eyes growing
242Claire sat quietly. She wanted to cover her ears so she wouldn't hear grandma extol her arrogant ex-husband. Anyway, she endured it with a straight face. "I haven't visited Bloomcrest in a while but I have many friends there. To be blunt, I have many eyes and ears to see and hear for me. They told me Hunter's appearance after your divorce and one of them claimed that Hunter was resorting after bringing you back. That was quick. As a woman who was oppressed by her husband all her life, I felt inclined to see Hunter redeeming himself for you." Grandma paused for a break. "And I really admired Hunter.... Way before he started having a problem with my grandson. He made me realize not all men are the same. Some own up to their mistakes and want to make amends. That's the reason why I decided to play cupid in your lives, Claire." "But what you're doing now...." Grandma eyed Claire disapprovingly. "I think it's a bit too much. In fact, it's a lot. You're being unfair to him and yours